Transcript Blogs in Education 1

Blogs in Education
“The Computer as an
Educational Tool:
Productivity and Problem Solving”
©Richard C. Forcier and
Don E. Descy
Web Blogs
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“The Web should be a medium for
communication between people.”
- Tim Berners-Lee
What is a blog?
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Website that allows people to publish
content to the Internet
Quick
Easy
History of Web Blogs
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1999 - Blogger by Pyra Labs
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Free creation and hosting of blogs
Manila by UserLand Software
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Server-based content management
software
Making a Blog
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Very simple!
Using a browser-based interface
Choose a template
 Fill in a form
 Click a button
 A new blog is created!
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Who writes the
information?
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Site owner
 Information
from websites, users, and
other sources
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Feedback from other readers
Feedback from the teacher
What’s the topic of a blog?
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Centered around one or two main ideas
or themes
Owner’s interest
Developing commentaries on themes
May have hyperlinks to related
websites
Types of Blogs
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Content types
Diary/Journal
 Links
 Photos
 Archives for articles and research
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Instructor Options
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Content-related
Networking/Personal sharing
knowledge
Instructional tips for students
Course announcements
Course readings
Student Options
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Reflective/Writing journals
Knowledge management
Assignment review
Dialogue for groupwork
E-portfolios
Share course-related resources
E-portfolios
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Increasingly popular
Organize/present student work
Connections among archive materials
Used for group work
Easy to create
Blog Benefits
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Feedback from readers
Strengthens reading skills/strategies
Allows interactions with peers
Makes students more willing to:
Read
 Write
 Discuss
 Devote time and energy to create a
successful blog
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Key Tips
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Incorporate blogs as key, task-driven
elements of the course
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Use blogs for what they are good for
Use proven/effective blogging tools